A Rich Minor League History In New Britain

HARTFORD — The expected departure of the Rock Cats to Hartford for 2016 will leave New Britain, a city of 73,000, without minor league baseball for the first time since 1983.

It will also leave a 6,000-seat stadium, only 18 years old, quiet on summer nights unless another franchise fills the void.

"For 20 years, families have come to New Britain Stadium to watch the Rock Cats," said U.S. Rep Elizabeth Esty, D-5th District. "We are proud of our team and what it brings to our community. The Rock Cats should stay at home in New Britain."

Mayor Pedro Segarra announced at a press conference Wednesday that Hartford has agreed to build a $60 million stadium and lease it for 25 years to the Rock Cats, the Double A Eastern League affiliate of the Minnesota Twins.

As minor league franchises go, New Britain has been a success and would be an attractive site for a new team. By minor league rules, the Rock Cats, by whatever name they use when they come to Hartford, have territorial rights to Hartford County and Hampden County, the Springfield/Western, Mass., area. A franchise's "territory" goes by county line, rather than mileage between franchises.

The new Hartford team, and the Eastern League, would have the right to block another MLB-affiliated franchise from moving into New Britain, which is only 13 miles away. When the Eastern League left Norwich, Dodd Stadium became home to the Tigers of the New York-Penn League, a short-season league that begins play in June and is usually where recent college players begin pro careers.

The last Double A team in Norwich, the Connecticut Defenders, finished last in the EL in attendance in 2009, but after relocating to Richmond, Va., a former Triple A market, the team more than doubled its attendance to 463,842 for 70 home dates, and shot to the top of the league. The Tigers, meanwhile, playing 36 home dates with better weather in June, July and August, have averaged between 1,400 and 1,900 a game.

Fox-CT, citing an anonymous source, reported New Britain officials have been in contact with another Eastern League franchise. There has been talk that the Mets are interested in moving their affiliate from Binghamton, but there is almost no chance another Double A franchise would be allowed to move into New Britain. There has already been discussion, according to an industry source, about bringing an NY-Penn franchise to New Britain, and cautious optimism that the Hartford franchise might allow it — but no guarantee.

An Independent minor league team, from the Canadian-American League, or the Atlantic League, can move into New Britain without getting permission from the Eastern League or the Hartford franchise. New Britain Stadium would be an upgrade for most teams in independent leagues. When the Double A franchise, the Ravens, left New Haven, it was replaced by an independent team.

Unlike Norwich, which drew 203,005 in its final season in the Eastern League, and New Haven, which drew 140,922 to Yale Field for the Ravens last season in 2003, New Britain has held its own in attendance, even as the franchise entered its third decade.

Attendance figures generally have been rising throughout minor league baseball over the past quarter-century, and the New Britain franchise stayed ahead of the curve, and usually in the top half of the Eastern League. In 1982, the Red Sox's affiliate drew just 67,564, less than 1,000 a game, for the entire season at Muzzy Field in Bristol — though that was good for fourth in the eight-team league. Relocated to Beehive Stadium in New Britain, attendance nearly doubled to 130,433 in 1983.

The attendance remained in that neighborhood the next 10 years. In 1995, the franchise, now a Twins affiliate, drew 124,560, 10th in the league.

In 1996 the $10 million New Britain Stadium was completed, right next to Beehive, for the team now known as the Rock Cats. The bump in attendance was relatively small, though, to 160,765. The big rise began in 2000, the first year of the Coleman Levy-Bill Dowling ownership. In 1999, the Rock Cats were last in the EL with 177,026, but increased by more than 40,000 to 220,127 in 2000. Attendance rose steadily each year, peaking at 368,523 in 2010.

The number of dates played is affected by the weather, but total attendance has dropped each year since. In 2013 the total of 307,097 was the lowest since 2003. But for the three-game series of May 30-June 1 this year, the Rock Cats drew 22,813, or better than 7,600 per game.

The Red Sox-Twins history in New Britain has also been a success on the field. Roger Clemens, the Red Sox's first-round draft pick, pitched briefly for New Britain late in the 1983 season. Future major league notables who have played for the Britsox or Rock Cats over the years include Ellis Burks, Jeff Bagwell, Mo Vaughn, David Ortiz, Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer and Torii Hunter. Last summer, eight players at the MLB All-Star Game at Citi Field were former Rock Cats.

The Twins' agreement with the Rock Cats franchise also expires after 2015, and while they have always quickly renewed, the relationship was established with past owners and with New Britain. The big-league affiliate carefully monitors the facilities offered by their minor league franchises.